


What Else?

by Quibbles



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Drunk Link, Fluff, Light Swearing, M/M, Make-out, Mild Hurt/Comfort, PG-14?, Pre-GMM, Pretty Vanilla because I'm feelin' tender, Protective Rhett, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-26 05:51:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13851417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quibbles/pseuds/Quibbles
Summary: After a harrowing experience in which Link has most of his belongings stolen, he's most worried about his missing journal, and Rhett wonders why.Based on the storytime in 'Taxi Driver Finds $450,000' GMM S1 E52.





	What Else?

_2008, somewhere between Washington DC and North Carolina_

“Watcha thinkin’, man?” The delicate blanket of silence over the small wooded clearance behind the motel the men had decided to sleep in broke as Rhett spoke, handing Link another beer, right on schedule as he finished his last.

Link remained quiet. He’d held back tears of frustration from the moment they had realized _everything_ of his had been stolen in Washington--his laptop, his passport, his wallet, his iPad, his video camera, his freaking _journal_ —to the moment he and Rhett pulled out of the parking lot in a rental car to head back to North Carolina.

“You sure this wasn’t a part of your plan? Get your license stolen so I have to be the one to drive us the entire way back home?” Rhett had ribbed. He’d been trying to keep things light after they’d discovered all of Link’s things had been stolen. “I was looking forward to a quick flight back but _no_ , you had to have a road trip, huh?” Mid-chuckle, Link had burst into tears, and he hadn’t stopped crying for 20 minutes, which is embarrassing enough for a 29-year-old man, and all the more embarrassing with your best friend beside you, unable to give you space because your stuck in a vehicle together.

It wasn’t the first time Rhett had seen him cry like that, so, whatever.

Link took a long, slow swing of the beer, closing his eyes and letting the wave of warmth wash all over him. He was so tired, and as a naturally anxious person, he was always tired of thinking, and rethinking and overthinking, but now he was just _tired._ “M’sorry Rhett.” He mumbled over the top of the bottle, eyes downcast. He felt his body sway a little, soothing. “Sorry you had to drive us back after—”

“Link.” Rhett shook his head, just once, and Link got it. It was the ‘stop it’ head shake. When they were alone like this, reading each other didn’t take many words. But Link’s tongue felt loose and heavy suddenly, after being silent the entire day they’d been travelling. He wasn't in the mood to quit talking.

“He got all my stuff.” Link continued. “But I’m most mad about my journal.” He glanced at Rhett to gauge his reaction, a habit of his, and his fingers fidgeted around the frosted beer bottle. “It had all my…thoughts.”

“You’ll have new ones.” Rhett confirmed. He was watching Link carefully. “Was there anything…”

“Bad? It’s just…I mean I wrote everything I felt in there so I just…” Link’s eyes shot open suddenly as he remembered something, and his brow furrowed. “ _Fuck_.”

“It can’t be that bad man. It’s just a journal, no one’s gunna care.” Rhett spoke quickly, watching panic sweep over Link, watching his entire body tense. “Hey,” he scooted closer. “Stop working yourself up, he probably tossed it as soon as he went through your stuff.”

Link wasn’t listening. He heard Rhett but it was just words. He was vaguely aware of his hand shaking as he downed the rest of the bottle’s content, and Rhett was saying more things, then he was suddenly aware of a hand of his back, rubbing small circles, which Rhett only did when he was panicking. Was he panicking right now? He had to be, because he couldn’t control his breathing, his heart was going so so fast, and blood pounded in his ear.

“Link, Link, listen to me.” Rhett grabbed his friends hand and put the beer bottle on the ground beside them, straightening out Link’s trembling fingers. He moved to embrace him, then decided against it. “Link, no matter what it is, I’m beside you brother. You’re overthinking this, its—”

“No matter what it is?”

“Yes.” Rhett repeated. “Yes. Nothing’s going to stop me being your friend Link. I can’t believe you’d be worried about that.” He watched Link’s eyes refocus, adjusting his glasses as he tried to control his breathing, his chest rising and falling underneath his thin t-shirt.

After a few more moments of silence, Rhett spoke again. “You might as well tell me now to get it over with.” He was mostly joking.

“M’ pretty drunk.” Link said slowly. “You really wanna know?”

Rhett didn’t say anything, and Link understood he meant yes. By now, his head was spinning a little, but he wanted to tell Rhett. He wanted one less secret in his heart.

“Sometimes, I don’t wanna be your friend.” He said deftly, throwing his hands up and slapping them down on his knees. He felt himself getting riled up and energetic, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He watched Rhett laugh, a big hearty laugh, and felt shockwaves all through his veins. He grinned back, drunk and giddy.

“That’s your big secret? You’re occasionally sick of me?” Rhett shook his head, taking a swing of his own beer. “Boy have I got news for—”

Link watched for the moment the bottle left Rhett’s lips before he turned his head quietly, leaned up, and kissed him. He didn’t think about it, because man had he _thought about it_. He just did it, kissed Rhett and felt his large hand still on Link’s back, where it had still been making small circles, felt the tickle of his beard and the taste of his soft mouth. As his skin burst into flames and Rhett made a small sound of surprise , Link dimly thought it was better than he could ever imagine. Rhett felt familiar somehow, the give and take easy between them. Link tried to capture the memory, the moment in time, but it was all too good and too much. 

After a couple seconds, he pulled back and readjusted his glasses, focusing his gaze silently back towards the ground. In the darkness, cicadas chirped. The earth continued on its axis even though Link's world was drifting off in all directions. He’d always known if he ever did something like this to Rhett, he wouldn’t freak out right away, not in front of him. It was one of Rhett's best features--he was cool and tactical, the total opposite to Link's constant stuttering and fumbling. Just one of the reasons they made such a great duo.  

Anxious thoughts itched at the back of his mind, trying to ruin him, like fuck, 'had he just ruined everything? Was this it?'-- but he was too warm and giddy to allow them right now. He was vaguely aware that Rhett hadn't moved at all, quietly sitting beside him.  Briefly, he wondered what it would be like to lean over and kiss Rhett again, part his lips with his own, feel the burn of his beard again. He wondered what it would be like to throw all his away and put Rhett’s hands on his body, before the harsh sunlight shook his mind awake and he realized what he’d done. He wanted…he wanted—

“What else?” Rhett’s voice was low and quiet, and close to Link in the darkness.

“Huh?” he asked. Link couldn’t meet Rhett’s gaze yet. His head was swimming.

“What else? That’s all you wrote down?” Link’s brow furrowed, because he could hear a smile in Rhett’s voice, and why would he be smiling? He finally chanced a look at him, and his expression would seem dead serious to anyone but Link. His eyes were swimming with something.

“No.” Link grinned his classic lop-sided grin. “Hey man.” He couldn’t tell if Rhett was just humouring him, his brain was hardly working anymore, but he was just happy to be beside Rhett like this, talking---teetering around something that he’d been holding to himself for as long as he could remember.

“Hey, man.” Rhett echoed slowly. He was thinking. Rhett was always thinking. Link stood, feeling himself swaying a little. “Heyyyy man.” He affirmed, nodding, and bopping to a beat that didn’t exist. He wanted to make Rhett smile. He didn’t want to have to burden him with the thoughts he’d been keeping to himself for longer than he could remember. That was his cross to bear, and Rhett was so _kind_ he’d do anything to keep Link happy, he had done that, more times than Link could count. He wanted to tell Rhett, ‘forget it, don’t worry about me and my messed-up thoughts, for once let me muddle through this on my own’ but telling him that wouldn’t matter because Rhett loved him a **stupid** amount of _a lot_. 

           He reached down to grab Rhett’s hands, attempting to pull him up. “Let’s dance Rhett.”

“Link.” Rhett gripped both his hands, and their eyes met, and Link’s smile faded because he had never so badly wanted to kiss a human being as he did now. It hurt a little. “Ask me again.” He said quietly. He could feel Rhett’s pulse in his palms, and he felt brave, because Rhett was _nervous_ , and for once, Link knew exactly what he wanted.

“What else.” Rhett said evenly, tugging Link down towards him, and Link hardly had time to crash down on his knees before he was kissing Rhett again, the way he’d written about, dreamt about, thought about, for so damn long. Rhett’s big hands were on his back, pulling him closer, and Link realized dumbly that Rhett wanted him on his lap. He sat there clumsily, pushed his fingers into Rhett’s hair because this was his chance and fuck all he was going to take it. Rhett made a sound that signified approval, a low grunt in the back of his throat, before pulling Link close again, parting his lips, opening him up. Link groaned, tightening his grip around Rhett as if to say 'don't drop me'. Rhett tasted so good, his lips, the clash of teeth, the electric shock all through his body. Link felt faint, he couldn’t breathe, but he didn’t want to. Right now, he only wanted Rhett, fuck, he wanted him so badly it itched inside. 

            Rhett’s hands came up to Link’s chin, slowing the pace of Link’s fervent kisses, and Link felt Rhett’s tongue against his. It was so good, so cathartic, fuck. “Rhett…” he gasped, pulling back suddenly, because, fuzzily, he wanted to give Rhett an out, if he needed an out. “If you—” Rhett reached out and pulled Link’s glasses off, before looking at him for a second. “You’re fuckin’ beautiful man.” He breathed, cutting Link off, and Link blinked, stunned silent.

“Shuddup.” He finally mumbled, feeling a rush of heat to his cheeks, suddenly aware of Rhett’s chest against his, the heat of his thighs, the hand on his lower back. He leaned forward and captured Rhett’s lips again, kissing him slowly, real slow, and this was even better. Rhett pulled him close again and Link had never felt so small or vulnerable. He carded his fingers through Rhett’s mess of a mane, pausing for breath only when he thought he was seeing stars. But even when he breathed in big and deep all he saw were stars, Rhett and stars and fireworks. 

“Why’re you lettin’ me do this?” he asked, searching Rhett’s storm grey eyes for an answer.

“You think I’m _lettin’_ you do this?” Rhett laughed quietly, his eyes settled on Link’s lips. “Typical Link…”

Link’s brow furrowed, and he knew he was pouting because Rhett’s eyes were dancing again. Rhett loved frustrating him. “What? You’re really gunna tell me I didn’t make the first move here?? At least give me credit for this one!”

Rhett studied him for a moment, his fingers tracing small circles against Link’s hipbone. Finally he smiled, a slow teasing smile. “All I know is your little book mentioned a lot more than just kissin’ me. You gunna show me anything else, or are you too chicken?”

Link’s mouth fell open, and his cheeks bloomed bright pink. “You read my journal??” he squeaked, realizing of course Rhett read his journal, how could he have _ever_ thought Rhett hadn’t found and read his journal.

 “Your move, _Charles_.” Rhett smirked, his fingers tightening around Link’s waist, pulling him close again. “Anything else you wanna tell me?”

“Yeah.” Link breathed, wrapping his arms around Rhett’s shoulders, giddy with happiness. “Hell yeah.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> My first Rhett and Link one-shot, it's been rattling around in my head for a little while so I figured I'd try it out. Let me know if you liked it!


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